Sheryl Sandberg Shares "Joyful" New Year's Resolution

"We all need people who encourage us, believe in us, and remind us that we are not alone," the Facebook COO writes in a new post.

Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg shared a moving New Year's message on the site Wednesday morning in which she credited the support of her circle of friends with helping her through her grief over the death of her husband in May and also shared her hopes for 2016.

"Last year, my resolution was to meditate for ten minutes every day," Sandberg writes. "I shared this with my Lean In Circle of childhood girlfriends who all made their own resolutions. We were determined to support one another and knew that we’d be more likely to succeed if we held one another accountable.

But Sandberg acknowledges that her "whole notion of plans crumpled" after the death of her husband. "I stopped trying to meditate," she acknowledges, "But my connection to this group of friends was one of the things that helped pull me through.

"I believe deeply that everyone needs this kind of help and connection. We all need people who encourage us, believe in us, and remind us that we are not alone," Sandberg continues. "For women, this kind of support can be especially important in navigating our lives and pursuing our ambitions."

"My hope in the coming year is for everyone to find a community or start a Circle that helps them build the life they want," writes Sandberg. "There are now 25,000 Circles in small towns and big cities, on college campuses and military bases, in companies, and on every continent and in more than 120 countries, from India to Ireland."

Finally, Sandberg reveals her personal resolution for 2016: "When I first lost Dave, I felt overwhelmed with just getting through each day. My friend Adam Grant suggested that every night before bed I write down three things I did well that day. I tried to do this, although some days I had such a hard time thinking of anything I did well that I’d end up listing 'Made a cup of tea.' But over time, focusing on things I’d done well helped me rebuild my confidence. Even if it was small, I could record something positive each day.

"I want to continue this practice, so my New Year’s resolution is to write down three joyful moments each day. … I will try to focus on finding joy in the mundane and the profound — joy in the small things that make my children smile, joy in the moments of friendship that might otherwise pass by unnoticed, joy in the ability to appreciate the gift of life in a way I never did before."

New Year’s is the traditional time of rebirth, renewal, and resolutions. This year, New Year’s has more meaning for me...